The gentle warmth of the blanket and the dying embers were the first things Dave registered. A soft, ethereal light filtered through the amethyst leaves above, indicating morning had arrived in the Twilight Lands. He blinked his eyes open, the image of a tiny, explosive fireball still vivid in his mind.

  He tentatively reached up and touched his forehead. Yep, definitely crispy. His eyebrows felt like miniature wire brushes. A wry smile touched his lips, luck was funny like that. First contact with magic, and he manages to set his own face on fire.

  But beneath the residual sting, a different sensation lingered: the faint, almost electric hum within him that Elara had pointed out. It was still there, a subtle vibration just beneath his skin, a tangible link to the impossible events of the previous night.

  And then there were the system messages. Level 2. Mana/Magic (150/150). Novice Pyromancy . Experience gain multiplier really interested him, so it gave him magic and an XP boost. It all felt surreal, like waking up inside a video game, except the singed eyebrows were very, very real, and very unpleasant to smell.

  He sat up, stretching cautiously. Lorien was already up, meticulously checking his gear. Elara sat cross-legged near the cold fire pit, her eyes closed, a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer of green light surrounding her – meditating, perhaps? Borin was still snoring, a deep, rumbling sound that seemed to vibrate the very ground.

  Dave ran a hand through his slightly smoky-smelling hair, his gaze drifting back to Elara. The desire to understand this power, this real magic, surged through him.

  Dave sat up, his fingers gingerly exploring the crispy landscape above his eyes. Definitely singed. A faint smell of burnt hair still clung to him. He remembered the intense heat, the brief flash... and the sudden crash back onto the ground.

  Did that actually hurt me? he wondered, then immediately thought of the system message from the night before. The character sheet. It had health listed on it. Could he just... bring that up again?

  He focused his mind, trying to recall the sensation of the blue screen appearing. He willed it to show itself, picturing the crisp font and the organized stats.

  With a faint shimmer in his peripheral vision, a semi-transparent blue panel flickered into existence. It floated a few inches in front of him, visible only to him, like an augmented reality display. The familiar "Character Sheet" header was at the top, followed by his Name, Race, Class, and then...

  Health: (139/155)

  Okay, so it did do damage, he thought, a little surprised. 139 out of 155 wasn't exactly near death, but it wasn't perfect either. Just a minor ding, like stubbing your toe, but caused by his own uncontrolled magic.

  He looked at the panel, trying to understand the controls. Was it touch? Thought? He tentatively focused on the "Health" line, wondering if he could isolate it.

  As he concentrated, a smaller sub-menu seemed to appear next to the health bar, with options like "Details," "History," and something labeled "Display Options." He mentally selected "Display Options."

  Another small panel popped up, offering choices like "Hide," "Show on Demand," and "Persistent Display." Below that were position options: "Top Left," "Bottom Left," "Bottom Right," etc.

  Persistent Display, he thought instantly. And bottom left. That felt like the least intrusive spot, out of the way but easily checkable.

  He focused on the "Persistent Display" and "Bottom Left" options. The blue panel rippled, then shrank, condensing into a small, unobtrusive bar. It zipped across his vision and settled neatly in the lower-left corner, a subtle, semi-transparent overlay against the green and amethyst hues of the forest.

  Health: (133/155)

  It was just there now, a constant reminder of his current state. Weird. Incredibly, ridiculously weird. And also... kind of cool? Like having a built-in game HUD.The system messages and identify were awesome but this was better. He could monitor his health in real-time.

  He blinked, testing if it stayed. It did. He shifted his gaze around the clearing, and the bar remained fixed in his bottom-left vision, slightly transparent so it didn't completely block his view.

  He looked at Elara, still meditating, then at Lorien, honing his blade, and Borin, who had started rumbling awake like an ancient bear. None of them seemed to notice the strange blue overlay he was now constantly seeing.

  He stood up, the health bar following his movement, staying anchored in his lower-left field of view. It felt strange, having this data constantly available. A small, almost unnoticeable window into his own mortality, measured in abstract numbers.

  Okay, singed eyebrows and 139/155 health. Time to face the day, and maybe learn how not to explode himself again.

  Keeping the system a secret felt like the safest bet for now. Everyone here likely had their own baggage, their own hidden depths. His glowing health bar and levelling-up notifications could definitely wait for a less... explosive reveal.

  Still feeling the subtle hum of magic under his skin and the odd permanence of the blue numbers in his vision, Dave decided to try and be useful. He walked over to where Lorien was efficiently organizing gear. The elf moved with a quiet grace that was both fascinating and slightly intimidating.

  "Hey Lorien," Dave said, trying to sound helpful rather than like the guy who'd just tried to turn himself into a human firework. "Need a hand with any of this? Happy to pitch in."

  Lorien paused in the act of folding a piece of dark, durable-looking fabric. He turned his head, his silver hair catching the soft morning light, and offered a small, polite smile. "Your offer is appreciated, Dave," he said, his voice calm and measured. "However, everything is quite taken care of."

  As he spoke, Lorien knelt and began to unwrap several flat, cloth-bound packages he'd laid out on the ground. Beneath the protective wrapping were sturdy, sectional boxes made of some lightweight, dark material. He opened them to reveal carefully packed portions of food. There were what looked like thin, dried strips of meat, hard biscuits, some kind of preserved fruit, and small, sealed pouches that likely contained water or some other liquid.

  "These are our rations for the day's travel," Lorien explained as he sorted them. He picked up one of the boxes wrapped in cloth and held it out towards Dave. "Luckily, we anticipated the possibility of acquiring a companion. This is for you."

  Dave took the box, surprised. "Oh, wow. Thanks, Lorien. Didn't expect you guys to have spare breakfasts lying around." He glanced down at the box, feeling a genuine sense of gratitude. They were total strangers, yet they were sharing their supplies.

  Lorien gave a slight nod. "Preparedness is a key to survival in the Twilight Lands. One cannot always rely on finding sustenance readily available." He then went back to unwrapping the other boxes, distributing them amongst where Elara (who was now slowly unfolding herself from meditation) and the still-grumbling Borin would sit.

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  The aroma of the dried meat was... earthy. Not exactly a sizzling bacon smell, but it was food. Dave sat down near the dying embers, opening his box to examine the contents. It wasn't a buffet, but it looked practical and designed to last. He took a bite of the dried meat strip. It was tough but savory.

  As he ate, he kept an eye on the bottom-left corner of his vision. Health: (133/155) remained constant, a silent, private display. He felt a faint ache above his eyes, a physical counterpoint to the abstract numbers. It was a strange duality – the real-world discomfort of singed hair and the detached, numerical representation of his health.

  Elara finished her meditation, her luminous eyes opening slowly. She caught Dave's gaze and offered a serene smile. "Sleep well, Dave?" she asked, her voice soft.

  Dave swallowed a mouthful of biscuit. "Yeah, mostly. Apart from the explosive ending to the night." He rubbed his hand over his eyebrow sheepishly.

  Borin grunted from his spot. "Shoulda stuck to water, lad. Fire magic's tricky before ye know its temper." He was already tearing into his own rations with gusto.

  The morning quiet settled over them, punctuated by the sounds of eating and the gentle rustle of the strange forest leaves. Dave ate his prepared breakfast, the practicality of the moment grounding him slightly after the mind-bending experiences of the night. He still had a glowing health bar in his eye, and he still wanted to learn magic, but for now, the simple act of eating felt reassuringly normal.

  As they finished the last of their dried rations, the practical matters of the day began to surface. Lorien, ever focused, cleared his throat slightly.

  "We should aim to reach the Whispering Falls by midday," he stated, looking between Elara and Borin. "The path is relatively clear from here, but the eastern edge of the Weeping Woods can be treacherous after recent rains."

  Elara nodded agreement. "The falls will provide fresh water, and the area is usually safe enough for a midday rest. From there, we can assess our pace towards the Crossroads."

  Borin grunted, wiping his beard with the back of his hand. "Aye, Crossroads is smart. More eyes there, less chance o' bein' ambushed by somethin' that crawls outta the undergrowth."

  Dave listened quietly, nibbling on a piece of preserved fruit that tasted vaguely like a date but with a strange, earthy aftertaste. He followed their conversation about paths, landmarks, and potential dangers, a silent observer to their practiced planning. He had no map, no knowledge of these places – Whispering Falls, Weeping Woods, Crossroads. He was completely reliant on them.

  Part of him desperately wanted to jump in, to ask questions, to volunteer his (limited) skills. But a stronger, more ingrained instinct held him back. Back on Earth, in group projects or new social situations, he'd learned that inserting himself too forcefully could easily backfire. Better to hang back, assess the dynamic, and wait for an invitation. He was the newcomer, the weird guy who fell out of the sky and accidentally set his eyebrows on fire. They didn't owe him anything.

  As Borin was nodding along with Elara, the dwarf suddenly turned his attention to Dave. His bushy eyebrows, much more intact than Dave's, furrowed slightly.

  "Speaking o' paths and destinations," Borin rumbled, his voice pulling Dave out of his internal monologue. "What are yer plans, lad? Ye can't just wander these lands on yer own, not knowin' the lay o' things." He paused, taking a swig from a pouch of liquid that wasn't fire whiskey this early. "I'd recommend ye travel with us three back to the capital of Aeridor, Arbor. It's the largest city, safest place around for someone... new. And ye can likely find yer bearings there."

  Dave blinked, genuinely surprised by the direct question and the offer. He hadn't expected them to just... invite him along. He looked from Borin to Elara, who watched him with calm interest, and then to Lorien, who maintained his polite, neutral expression.

  The capital of Aeridor, Arbor. It sounded like a destination, a place to potentially figure things out. He had no other plans, no idea where to go or what to do next. Staying with them, at least for a while, seemed like the only logical, and arguably safest, course of action.

  "Uh," Dave started, putting down the last bite of his fruit. "My plans are pretty much nonexistent, to be honest. Borin's right, I don't know anything about this place." He gestured vaguely at the surrounding forest. "Traveling with you guys would actually be a huge help. If that's really okay?"

  He looked at each of them, hoping he wasn't imposing. The idea of having guides, companions, even temporary ones, in this bizarre and dangerous world felt like an immense relief. And if Elara was willing to teach him magic, that was an opportunity he absolutely couldn't pass up.

  They all looked at one another, a shared, knowing look passing between Elara, Lorien, and Borin. Then, their gazes returned to Dave, amusement plain on their faces. Lorien actually let out a soft, dry chuckle, a sound Dave hadn't expected from the quiet elf.

  "Yes, Dave," Elara said, her serene expression now tinged with a definite hint of mirth. "Just like that."

  Borin let out a hearty guffaw that echoed slightly in the clearing. "Blast it, lad, yer an odd one, even by our standards!" He wiped a tear from his eye. "As fer why... well, why not?"

  Lorien, having composed himself, offered a more measured explanation, though the twinkle of amusement remained in his eyes. "Firstly, your arrival was not subtle," he said dryly. "A tear in the very fabric of reality appearing in the sky tends to attract attention. While we could simply leave you, that would be... irresponsible."

  "And boring!" Borin chimed in. "Yer far more entertainin' than another week o' arguin' with innkeepers!"

  Elara added, her voice gentle, "Beyond that, Dave, the world holds many mysteries. Your presence here, the 'system' you speak of, the raw potential for magic you clearly possess despite your... initial difficulties." She smiled slightly. "These are not everyday occurrences, even in Arcadia. There is value in understanding the unprecedented. Helping you reach Arbor is the most direct path to doing so, for all of us."

  She paused, her gaze steady on Dave. "And frankly," she concluded softly, "leaving someone so utterly lost and bewildered to fend for themselves in the Twilight Lands would go against... well, against who we are."

  Borin clapped him on the shoulder again, less forcefully this time. "Aye, we ain't heartless, lad. And like Elara says, yer arrival is somethin' to ponder. Best to ponder it where there are scholars and mages who might actually make sense o' it."

  Lorien began to gather the empty ration boxes, his movements efficient. "Besides," he added practically, "your proficiency with basic magic, even in its... untamed state, could potentially prove useful on the journey. Once we refine it, of course." He glanced at Dave's eyebrows, a hint of a smile returning.

  Their explanation, a mix of pragmatism, curiosity, and a surprising touch of genuine goodwill, seemed to satisfy Dave's immediate questioning. They weren't recruiting him for a secret mission, or at least, not one they were revealing yet. They were just... helping. Because it was the sensible thing to do, the interesting thing to do, and because they weren't, apparently, entirely without compassion.

  "Okay," Dave said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Okay. Thanks. Seriously. I owe you guys."

  "Yer can repay us by not settin' the woods on fire before we reach the Falls," Borin grunted, standing up and stretching.

  Elara rose gracefully. "Come," she said, her eyes meeting Dave's. "Let us prepare to depart. And as we travel, I can begin to show you how to find the flow of magic, rather than trying to wrestle it into submission."

  With the agreement made and the initial curiosity addressed, the campsite bustled with quiet activity. Lorien and Borin efficiently packed away the last of their gear, rolling up bedrolls and securing satchels onto their packs. Elara retrieved a simple, polished wooden staff that had been lying near where she meditated.

  Dave, still getting used to the persistent health bar in his vision, gathered his own meager belongings – essentially just the clothes on his back and the strange, resilient leather pants he'd woken up in along with his trusty stick. He wasn't sure what else he was supposed to do to "pack."

  As they finished, they stood ready, facing the direction Lorien had indicated – towards the Whispering Falls, a point on a map Dave couldn't see, in a world he barely understood. Borin hefted his axe, settling its weight comfortably. Lorien adjusted the quiver on his back. Elara held her staff lightly, her gaze already seeming to pierce the dense foliage ahead.

  "Ready, Dave?" Borin asked, his voice a low rumble of anticipation for the trail.

  Dave took a deep breath of the strangely scented air. Ready? Probably not. But he had nowhere else to go, and with these three, he at least had a chance. He glanced down at the bottom-left corner of his vision: Health: (133/155). A weird comfort in the abstract number.

  "As I'll ever be," he replied, a mixture of apprehension and excitement swirling within him.

  And with that, Lorien turned and began to move, leading the way deeper into the Twilight Lands. Borin fell in behind him, his heavy boots crunching softly on the forest floor. Elara offered Dave a final, encouraging smile before following them.

  Dave took one last look at the small clearing that had been his home for a strange and transformative night. Then, he turned and stepped onto the path, following his unexpected companions deeper into the unknown, towards Arbor, and whatever awaited him there.